Sue Bird , a WNBA legend, has thrown her support behind Caitlin Clark for Rookie of the Year, choosing her over Angel Reese . Clark has been gaining momentum, averaging 18.8 points, 10.8 assists, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in her last 12 games.
Bird made her pick on the “Good Game with Sarah Spain” podcast, citing Clark’s impressive performances leading up to the All-Star break. She also became the first rookie in league history to record a triple-double and set a WNBA single-game record with 19 assists.
Currently, first of all, I hate doing mid-season awards, right. Honestly, I've felt this way about MVP forever. People would say someone was MVP in the first two weeks and then in a weird way, it kept them in that conversation no matter what they did. So I've never been [a fan of mid-season awards], but currently Caitlin Clark. Sue Bird on the Good Game with Sarah Spain
. @S10Bird joins “Good Game” to talk retirement, the moment she first felt “old,” a new women’s sports reality show & her pick for Rookie of the Year halfway through the WNBA season.
— Sarah Spain (@SarahSpain) July 19, 2024
Plus: “Yes, And”-ing Caitlin Clark’s assist record & FAFO Fridays!https://t.co/8gTwQrMB4b pic.twitter.com/zqYa1Z56Dp
Angel Reese is leading the race for Rookie of the Year , but her streak of 15 consecutive double-doubles came to an end on July 13. Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever have won two of their three meetings against Reese and the Chicago Sky this season.
The race for Rookie of the Year is still close, but Bird’s endorsement of Clark adds to the conventional wisdom that Clark is the favorite to win the award. The Fever and Sky will meet again on August 30 in their final regular-season matchup, which could be a crucial game in the playoff race.
Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever star, is thrilled to be playing alongside fellow rookie Angel Reese in the WNBA All-Star Game. Clark praised Reese’s skills, predicting that she would lead the game in rebounds. Clark also acknowledged the rarity of having two rookies in the All-Star Game, noting that it’s exciting for the fans and good for the league.
I think it's cool. It's obviously rare to have two rookies in the All-Star Game... Obviously the fans are super excited about it. I think it's just really good for the W. I mean and obviously she's having an incredible year...she's certainly probably gonna lead the game in rebounds that's just what she does. Caitlin Clark in a recent interview
“She's probably going to lead the game in rebounds”
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 19, 2024
Rookie sensation Caitlin Clark shares her thoughts on teaming up with Angel Reese for the first time in her career at the 2024 @ATT WNBA All-Star Game.
WNBA Orange Carpet presented by @Bumble pic.twitter.com/6rRE805PsR
Clark was accompanied by her Fever teammates Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell , who all received praise for their fashion sense. While Clark has garnered most of the attention, Boston and Mitchell have also had impressive seasons. The trio will join forces with Reese and the rest of the WNBA All-Stars to take on the Team USA Olympics squad.
The game promises to be a thrilling matchup, with Clark and Reese leading the league in assists and rebounds, respectively. They will face off against Team USA’s star players, including Sabrina Ionescu and A’ja Wilson, who were recently named Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week.
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